


Sleep tight, don't let the Demodogs bite

by PursueCrazyLife



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Aftermath, Angst, Concussions, Gen, Good Babysitter Steve Harrington, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Missing Scene, Panic Attacks, Post-Season/Series 02, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Dustin Henderson, Protective Parent Jim "Chief" Hopper, Protective Steve Harrington, Steve Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-08-10 16:47:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20138716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PursueCrazyLife/pseuds/PursueCrazyLife
Summary: After the tunnels a fairly stressed-out and concussed Steve has to ensure the safety of the kids.And there is still the matter of the demodog in the fridge.(aka. the obligatory season 2 aftermath fanfic. After experiencing season 2 nostalgia I couldn't help myself adding yet another one to the pile)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I know, I know...There are so many great fanfics dealing with the aftermath of season 2. But I just can't get enough of it. The idea of everybody coming back to the Byers' house after this traumatic night always fascinates me. Especially considering Steve being peak stressed-out Mom trying to keep the kids safe while being concussed. 
> 
> Also after watching season 3 I got hit by season 2 nostalgia.
> 
> I'm really sorry for any mistakes, English isn't my native language. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy it :)

“You're sure everyone is okay?”, Steve gave all the kids a once-over. Trying to ignore Billy who was still lying on the floor, knocked out for now.

“Yes, we are. Nothing happened!”, Lucas rolled his eyes.

“Could you keep your voice down. No need to shout at me.” At least the boy had some decency to look ashamed.

“I'm just making sure nobody turns out to be possessed by one of these things.”

“Demodogs”, Dustin muttered. Steve could still hear Dustin's screams echoing in his head. For a split second he had thought that his friend would be the next meal for the demodogs. But they were here, slightly worse for wear, but alive.

“We should take care of him”, Steve knelt down, winching slightly as his head pounded viciously. “I need a belt”, he said as he undid his. Slinging it around Billy's wrists. Dustin handed him another one. After securing the ankles as well Steve stood up again. Nearly collapsing as his vision spun.

“Is anybody hungry?”, Dustin asked earning exasperated glances from everyone.

“How can you possibly be hungry right now?!”, Lucas again not using his indoor voice.

“I always get hungry when something terrible happened.”

“Figures”, Max said.

“Still have some Hershey's. Does somebody want some as well”, he pulled out three bars. The kids shook their heads. “Steve?”

“No, thanks”, the scent of chocolate made him feel sick. Mike leaned against the window ledge. Peering into the darkness.

“Do you see anything?”, Max joined him.

“No, but they have to come back”, desperation in his voice.

Steve's head hadn't stopped pounding as he walked to the fridge. Pulling the handle, his hands still shaking. They hadn't stopped shaking since he had grabbed Dustin. All the creatures rushing past him. Dustin's heart pounding hard. In that moment Steve thought he'd die, at least a climatic death. The door was stuck, no matter how hard he pulled it didn't budge.

“Steve, what are you doing?”, Dustin's voice making his headache even worse.

“I just need...”

“The demodog is in there!”

“What?”, this night was making less and less sense.

“The demodog, we put him in there, don't you remember?” It was getting harder to think. His memories fuzzy and far away. A hand on his wrist.

Dustin slowly pulling him away. “You can't open the fridge, Steve.”

Stepping onto something soft, Steve recoiled letting out a little scream.

Max rose her eyebrows, “Why are you screaming like a little girl?”, she asked.

Steve pulled his shoes out of what seemed to be the remains of chocolate sauce. “Why is that even on the floor?”

“Because we had to empty the fridge for the demodog.” “Great....do they have a freezer?”

“Outside”, Mike said. The last thing Steve wanted to do is go outside. What if another monster was waiting outside, or worse all the children ran away the moment he went through the door. But it was that, or taking some of the sedative, that's how much his head was hurting right now.

“Great”, he muttered then taking a look at his shoes. Once white now covered in mud, blood and some chocolate sauce. “I'm going outside, and you stay here. If I come back and one of you is missing, I swear to God the demodogs will be the least of your problems”, the kids gave him a half annoyed, half weird look. He picked up his bat and opened the door.

Cold wind messed up the rest of his usually meticulously styled hair. Good thing Nancy wasn't his girlfriend anymore otherwise this would have been awkward. The freezer stood underneath a little wooden shack. His torch started to flicker, “Such a cliché”, he muttered. If he died now this would be fucking ironic. He grabbed the first bag of peas he got a hold of.

The kids were still looking outside the window. “Dustin, heads-up”, he threw the boy a ice cream tub.

“Thank you”, a smile broke out on the boy's face. Grabbing a spoon from the cutlery drawer, slamming it back causing loud clattering.

“Could you please not do that, Dustin. You're going to break Mrs. Byers kitchen. Do you want that?”

“No”, he said, a bit of remorse on his face.

“Then be careful next time.” Dustin nodded and joined his friends.

Steve wrapped the bag of peas into a cloth and held it against his head. Joining the other kids. The darkness made him weary. He expected that any moment now a monster would slam through the window killing them all.

Headlights appeared in the distance.

“They're here!”, Mike sat up, ready to dash for the door.

“Do you think they're okay?”, Dustin asked.

“We don't know yet, do we?”, Lucas rolled his eyes....again.

“We are not going anywhere. Do you understand?!”, Steve dropped the bag of peas, the bat steady in his grip. “Get away from the window”, he said. The kids didn't budge.

“Now! Or do I need to remind you what happened the last time?” They shook their heads, and sat down on the couch. Steve opened the door. Waiting for the car to come closer. He recognized Hopper's truck, and soon he could see the Eleven and the chief. The car stopped and Hopper opened the door. Closely followed by the girl. Her movements slower and sluggish.

“Are the others back again?”, Hopper asked.

“No, not yet”, Steve lowered his bat. Relief making him light-headed. He had made it. He had kept all the kids safe.

“We should go inside, kid”, at first Steve thought Hopper meant Eleven, but Hopper laid a hand on his shoulder ushering him inside, followed by Eleven.

As soon as they were inside Mike and the other boys rushed towards the girl.

“El, you did it. You're alive”, Mike hugged her.

Max still sat on the sofa. Slowly Steve picked up the bag of peas. Holding it against his head, and sat down next to her. The bat still in his hands. They both watched the children smiling, laughing, talking . Both of them not really in the party, as Dustin liked to call it.

“Remind me that you need some driving lessons”, Steve told her.

“But I'm only 13.”

“Didn't stop you from driving, did it now?”

She smiled, “You nearly hit something as well.”

“Don't remind me”, Steve remembered the catastrophic drive back. After nearly being mauled by a herd of Upside Down creatures his sight had gone weird. So he had seen everything in double for a while. Resulting in nearly running them off the road.

“Does it hurt?”, Max asked.

“Yeah, it does.”

“Thanks for protecting me from Billy.”

“I didn't do anything, you saved me.”

Max shook her head, “Most people don't step up for me like that. Especially people that don't really know me.”

He smiled, “Guess we're friends now, random girl.”

“Guess so, crazy hair dude.”

Too tired to get into a long-winded speech about the effect his hair had on girls he just muttered, “My hair is not crazy, it's cool”, he leaned his head against the cushions.

Hopper had crossed the room taking in all the mayhem and stopped by Billy. “What happened to him?” Suddenly silence had befallen the room. Everyone looking anywhere but in Hopper's direction.

Steve wanted to say something, but Max was quicker. “He wanted to hurt Lucas, so Steve stopped him.”

“Steve knocked him unconscious?”, a look of disbelieve on Hopper's face. Why was everyone not trusting him to carry out a fight and win? He fought a freaking demogorgon.

“That's how you got the black eye?”, Hopper asked.

“I always get beaten up during a demogorgon invasion”, Steve muttered.

“I gave Billy some of the sedative”, Max said.

“What...How much did you give him”, Hopper knelt down taking his pulse.

“Not much. Just about this much”, she showed him the syringe.

Instantly Hopper relaxed, “Well, guess he deserved it”, his eyes locked on Steve now, “Are you alright?”

“Yes.”

“How hard did Billy hit you?” A hint of worry in Hopper's eyes. All eyes on him, even Eleven with something akin to pity. The last thing Steve wanted was spend a night in hospital. He just wanted to stay here for the rest of the night. Bring Dustin home in the morning and then sleep for a week, in his own bed.

“It wasn't that hard...”

“Not that hard?!”, Dustin interrupted him, “Billy slammed a plate against his head.” The worried look multiplied on Hopper's face.

“He nearly killed him! Steve woke up only after we....”, Lucas jammed him into the ribs giving him the look.

“Wait....Hold on. He woke up? Were you unconscious, kid?”, Hopper asked Steve.

“Not long.”

“15 minutes, at least”, Dustin not shutting up when he should.

“You could have a concussion. I should take a closer look”, Hopper muttered.

“It's fine.”

“No, it's not fine. Head injuries are serious. I don't want you dying on me as well”, Hopper shouted, making Steve's head hurt. What did he mean with 'as well'? Eleven laid a hand on Hopper's arm it seemed to calm him down. It was touching in a way that this man that didn't even know Steve was so worried about him.

“I'm not going to die”, Steve quickly said when he noticed Dustin's eyes going wide with fear.

“I...”, Hopper got interrupted by a knock on the door. Steve stood up, bat in hand, as Hopper drew his gun.

“Hopper, it's me”, they heard Joyce. His legs were wobbly now, so Steve let himself fall back onto the couch.

The kid looked terrible. Eyes red-rimmed, his skin pale, he was shaking. Nancy and Jonathan followed. His hand on her shoulder. Joyce was steering towards the couch ignoring the entire fridge contents dumped onto the ground. His heart sank upon noticing she'd lay Will on the couch, so they had to get up.

“Max”, she nodded and both of them wearily stood up. He counterbalanced on the edge of the couch as the entire room started to tilt.

Hopper threw a blanket over the boy, Joyce sat down next to him. Taking his hand into his. There was a time when Steve's mum would do the same. For a moment he wanted to call his mum and tell her what had happened. That he almost got killed twice by a monster, that the girl he loved didn't love him back. That he nearly got a bunch of kids killed.

“You're okay?”, at first he ignored the voice, thinking that somebody was asking Will, but then he felt a tug at his hand. “Steve, are you okay?” He turned his head, Max tugging at his sleeve.

“Yes...Yes I am. A-Are you okay?”

“I didn't get my head bashed in.”

“But it was your first time meeting one of these monsters. It can be scary.”

She looked away, shaking her head, “At least this time I had people who protected me”, she nearly whispered.

At first this didn't registered in his fuzzy brain. Then it hit him with full force, “Does Billy hit you?”

“Sometimes.”

“Does your father hit you?”

“My step-father? No, he doesn't.”

“If Billy ever hits you again you call me, okay?”

Max snorted, “No offence, but you got your head bashed in from him. He would have killed you.”

“I didn't have my bat with me. With my bat however...”, he gave her a sly smile burning pain travelling over his face. He was rewarded by another smile from Max, she took him by the hand and dragged him to one of the chairs in the kitchen.

“Before you fall down”, she said. They sat down watching the others. Eleven had moved further and further away from the small group. Nearly in the kitchen now.

“Hey, do you want to sit with us?”, Max asked. Eleven turned, a frightened glance on her face. Then her eyes locked on Steve. Again the look of pity. She sat down between Max and the older boy.

“Hurts?”, she asked, pointing towards his head.

“Yeah, a bit. Are you hurt?”, he asked upon noticing the traces of blood on her skin and the dark bags under her eyes.

“A bit.”

“You saved our lives. Dustin and I were in the tunnels and all the demodogs were rushing towards us. They nearly got us. Thank you.” She nodded solemnly, then she stretched her hand to his. Taking it into hers. Surprised he let her.

“Scared?”, she asked, his hands still shaking.

“I guess.”

“You kept Mike safe. Thank you.” To his utter surprise she hugged him.

“Who's that?”, Nancy pointed towards Billy.

“That's Max's crazy older brother”, Lucas informed her.

“Who knocked him out?”

“Max sedated him.”

“She did?”

“Awesome, right?”, Lucas proudly said.

“O-okay.”

“Sounds like you had quite the night”, Jonathan said.

“That wasn't even the best part”, Dustin piqued up, “We went down to the tunnels and...”

“Dustin, keep your mouth shut!”, Lucas tried to warn his friend. Too late.

“You were at the tunnels?”, Hopper asked.

“Tunnels? I never said tunnels”, Dustin took a few steps back as Hopper and Joyce exchanged worried glances.

“Harrington! You were supposed to watch them. How on earth did you think it was a good idea to lead them to the tunnels!?”, Hopper shouted, making Steve recoil.

“I...I...ahm...at the time...”, how could he explain to Hopper that he had gotten kidnapped and forced into going down the tunnels?

“You were supposed to keep an eye on the children. Not put them into danger.” Hopper crossed the room, grabbing Steve by the jacket collar, and pushed him against the wall. His head connecting with the hard surface, for a moment his vision gave out.

“It's not his fault. Steve tried to stop us from going”, Dustin shouted, trying to pull Hopper away from the older boy.

“Yeah, he didn't stop you enough!”

“I'm sorry”, Steve tried to struggle free from the grip, but he didn't have any strength left in him.

“He helped me with Dart when nobody else did” Dustin said.

“Who's Dart?”

“One of the demodogs”

“And he saved Dustin when the demodogs ran towards them”, Lucas joined Dustin trying to pull Hopper away.

“He saved Lucas and me from my brother”, Max said.

“Let go. All of you let go. I don't care because he led you to the tunnels.”

“He didn't. He passed out and we carried him to the car. When he woke up we already were by the tunnels.”

Hopper loosened his grip, “You're telling me you carried a boy older than you for miles?”

“No, we drove”, Max calmly confessed.

“You drove?”, Hopper nearly squeaked.

“It was very intense”, Steve tried to distract Hopper from the kids.

“Hopper, please leave the boy alone. Don't you see he's exhausted. We can talk about this in the morning, can't we?”, Joyce slowly pulled Hopper away. This time he allowed her to. Now that he wasn't in the man's grip Steve's legs didn't carry him anymore. He collapsed onto the ground.

“Steve?”, Dustin was by his side instantly.

“Damn it, he probably has a concussion”, Hopper muttered.

“Let me take a look”, Joyce said kneeling down next to him. “Lucas, can you hand me your flashlight?” She switched it on “Sorry, Steve”, the light shone full force into his eyes. Pain exploding in his head.

“You're hurting him!”, Dustin's voice sounded fuzzy and far away.

“We have to check if he has a concussion.”

“Why did you slam him against the wall. You know he was hurt!”, Steve had never heard Dustin being this angry.

“I'm....I messed up, okay. But right now we have to bring him to the hospital.”

He tried to sit up, grateful for Joyce's arms steadying him. “I'm fine”, how often had he said that? Branches were knocking against the windows making him jump. Will's terrified eyes looking through him. Clutching the blanket in terror. Upside Down particles still under his fingernails, in his hair, a stale taste in his mouth.

“We should call your parents”, Hopper decided.

“The phone's broken”, Nancy said, blushing a little.

“They're not home”, Steve saved them the trouble.

“Damn it. Do you have any other family we could call?”

“No.”

“Friends?”

As if this night could have turned any worse. He looked anywhere, but the kids and Hopper when he whispered “No.” “When are your parents back in town?” He shrugged, dad had been droning on about some kind of business deal, "My Mom comes back in a few days, I think", he added.

“You don't have to bring me to hospital”, standing up was hard, but he caught hold of the back of the chair.

Hopper, long-suffering look on his face, pulled his car keys out. “Can I leave you here, Joyce? I'm gonna call my Deputy and he'll take care of Billy.”

“Of course.”

“El, I'll be back later. You can stay here if you want to.” The girl nodded, taking Mike's hand in hers.

“Okay, come on son, we're getting your head checked out.”

“No”, he whispered, he couldn't leave the kids alone. Not after all the shit that happened. He couldn't bear to go now.

“What was that?”, Hopper asked.

“I said no!”, when he'd stood outside in the dark, all the demodogs howling, rushing towards him he'd been scared. The idea of staying in a hospital room on his own tonight wasn't something he could go through with, not tonight.

“We're going, whether you want to, or not”, Hopper's tight grip on his arm.

“No!”

“Listen, I'd like to go home into bed and stay there for the rest of my life, but you're injured and I can't just ignore that. So we're going to the hospital right now!”

Panic had been creeping up on him, but he had kept it at bay all this time. Not anymore, it hit him full force. “You can't leave me there. Please don't...I don't want to be alone tonight...not tonight”, Steve's voice broke, his eyes watery. Terror circling him and creating knots in his stomach.

“Sweetie, it's going to be okay”, Joyce slowly pushed him on the chair. Draping a blanket around his shaking frame. “If you have to stay overnight Hopper is going to stay with you, okay?”, she sat on the chair opposite of him. “Can you remember when your mother is coming back, or did she leave a number where we can reach her?”

Tears were spilling down his cheeks now. All the others standing around him, probably staring. “I...she's with my aunt”, he finally said.

“Do you know the phone number of your aunt?” It hurt to think, to sort through all of his memories and get to the information he wanted. Nausea was crashing in on him the longer he concentrated. Why couldn't he remember a simple phone number?

“Do you have the keys to your house?”, Joyce asked him in the same motherly voice, the one she had previously used for Will.

“Yes.”

“Okay”, she smiled brightly, “Did your Mom right down the number of your aunt somewhere in the house?”

“Yes, next to the phone.” Joyce looked past him to Hopper who nodded.

“So here's what we're going to do. I'm going to get a new phone. Meanwhile, you'll go to the hospital with Hopper. And when you've come back here we'll call your Mom. How does that sound?”

Wiping his tears away with his dirty sleeve, Steve nodded. Not trusting his voice enough to answer.

“C'mon”, Hopper helped him up, gentler now. All the kids were eyeing them worriedly as he went through the door. “I'm not going to leave you alone in the hospital”, Hopper softly said, as they were driving in the darkness.

Both half-expecting a demodog to be jumping at them at any given moment. Steve pulled the blanket closer to his body. His hands still trembling.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been more than a year, but I'm still not over the fact that they stuffed the demodog into Joyce's fridge. Dead or not, you don't put a creature that thrives in cold temperatures in a fridge.
> 
> That's the take-home message of the day: No demodogs in the fridge
> 
> And again there is some angst going around in this chapter

Hawkins hospital was nearly empty. Hopper should have been happy about it, but that meant so many people had died down in the labs. Bob's body probably down in the morgue.

“I hate hospitals”, Steve leaning his head against the wall, his skin nearly as white as the wall behind him. Hopper snapped the blue hairband against his wrist. Trying to keep himself grounded.

The teenager shifted, “Are you okay, Chief?” Hopper laughed, here he was with a boy, banged up, his eyes still red-rimmed from crying half an hour ago. A boy that needed his help asking him if he was okay.

“Don't worry about me. Nothing is going to happen today. We made it.”

“Are you sure?”, Steve asked timidly, eyes fixed on the ground.

“El closed the gate. These bastards are gone once and for all”, part of him wasn't believing it either. It didn't matter, only Steve had to believe him.

“Hopefully”, Steve muttered.

“Steven Harrington?”, a nurse said. Wearily the boy stood up, swaying slightly.

“Easy”, Hopper steadied him.

“Follow me”, she led them into the examination room. “The doctor will be with you soon.”

Hopper hovered close to Steve. Scared that at any given minute the boy would just collapse. Start seizing, or hyperventilating, or leaking blood. Every scenario running through his head. One thing was for sure he'd never leave Steve alone in hospital because he was just as scared that something would happen. The doctor asked Steve a couple of questions, and did an x-ray for the ribs.

“Okay Steven, you have a concussion, but nothing serious. I'll prescribe some painkillers and something to help with the nausea. You need bedrest for one week. With bedrest I mean no reading, watching TV or listening to music, okay?”

“Yes.”

“Good, now do you play sports?”

“Basketball.”

“No basketball for this school term.”

“What?!”, Steve who had been exhausted and nearly apathetic the entire examination long, sat up, “I need to play basketball, or I'm going to fail classes!” Hopper was surprised. Not that he had really known Steve before this, but the little time he had spent with him the boy seemed smart enough to at least pass the year.

“Listen, I'm sorry, but your brain took a hard knock. It's going to take months to heal. If you don't want to walk around with a headache for the rest of your life you have to take it easy. The only sport you're allowed to do is walking.” Crossing his arms Steve fell back into his earlier state. “Rest and painkillers is the only thing we can do for your ribs as well.”

“They're not cracked, are they?”, Hopper asked.

“No, just bruised. More uncomfortable than anything else.”

“Can he sleep, or do we have to wake him up every other hour?”

“Well, it's already”, the doctor checked his wristwatch, “3 o'clock in the morning. Let him sleep just check him sometime in the morning. Don't leave him alone for the next few days. A bit of nausea even vomiting can be normal, but if it worsens bring him back to hospital immediately.”

“See, you didn't have to stay after all”, Hopper smiled when he pulled out of the hospital parking lot. “We'll just drive past your home, get the number and call your mother.”

Steve struggled to keep his eyes open. His breath fogging up the car window.

“Hand me the keys”, without protest the boy did, and then snuggled into his blanket. For a split second he looked just like Sarah when she had been sleeping. Innocent, peaceful the dirt and blood caking his skin destroyed this picture pulling Hopper back to the harsh reality.

After they had picked up the telephone number they drove back to Joyce. He nearly didn't have the heart to wake Steve up.

“Hey, Steve we're here”, the boy sat up with a start, fear in his eyes. His hands trembling, as he clutched the blanket. “It's me, Hopper. You're safe. The kids are safe.”

“Sorry”, he muttered.

“Nothing to be sorry for”, he took Steve's arm and slung it around his neck. Slowly they went towards the door when it swung open.

“Steve, are you okay?”, Dustin rushed towards them.

“Give the boy some space”, Hopper said. The others had followed. All taking a step back and letting them pass.

“Bring him to the couch”, Joyce greeted them, “I brought Will to bed.”

Hopper slowly lowered Steve onto the couch. The boy still clutching to the blanket for dear life. When Hopper laid his hand on Steve's skin he frowned. It was cold to touch.

“Do you have another blanket?”

“Of course”, Joyce quickly fetched one and draped it over Steve who already had drifted back to sleep. On the floor a few feet away from the couch was Billy, still out cold.

“Why is he still here?”

“I tried to call your Deputy, but nobody answered."

“Of course”, Hopper felt an headache coming.

“He can stay for the night.”

“Are you sure?”

“He's tied up.”

“Okay”, he wanted to sit down, but turning he noticed all the kids staring at him. “What?”

“Is Steve gonna be okay?”, Dustin repeated the question. Genuine worry on all the kids faces, even Eleven's. She didn't even know Steve that well, why did she care so much?

“He has a concussion. What he needs for the next few weeks is rest, okay? That means no running around, or shouting when you're around Steve. Do you all copy that?!” They nodded solemnly.

“Not going to die?”, Eleven asked fearfully. Hopper felt his stomach twist when he saw the still present fear in the eyes of the children. What had he been thinking? They had witnessed death and mayhem this night. Nearly gotten eaten by monsters, their friends being possessed and beaten up. Of course they were scared now. He knelt down, putting a hand on Dustin's and Mike's shoulders.

“Listen, if Steve would have been in danger of dying the doctor would have kept him in hospital. But he didn't because Steve has a concussion, but not a severe one. All he needs now is rest. He'll feel a bit rotten in the next days, but after that he'll be fine again.” Uneasy smiles on their faces, as Joyce hung the receiver up.

“No one answered?”

“No, but it's in the middle of the night. I'll try in the morning.”

Hopper nodded, “Should we call the other parents?”

Joyce shook her head, “You are all welcome to stay here tonight. And you too, El and Hopper.” The kids started cheering.

“Psst, don't wake Steve up”, Hopper said. Instantly the cheering died down. A few fearful glances thrown at the sleeping boy.

“I'm going to sleep next to Steve. So if anything happens I'll be there”, Dustin announced.

“What is going to happen?”, Lucas asked. Shrugging his shoulders Dustin placed the blanket on the floor next to the couch.

It was still dark when Steve opened his eyes. His head pounding when he sat up. The last events fuzzy in his mind. Fear surged through him as for a frightful moment he thought he did end up in hospital after all. However, it didn't smell like antiseptic, a musty scent hung in the air. The blanket not white, but colourful, with Star Wars motives on them. No this wasn't a hospital. Hopper had kept his promise and brought him back home, or far more back to Mrs. Byers' home. In the dim light he could make out a pill bottle standing on the table. With a bit of luck they were his.

He swung his legs over the edge of the couch. Nearly hitting Dustin in the process. Even in his sleep the baseball cap on the boy's head. He managed to not step onto the others kids who were strewn out across the living room, all sound asleep. Steve picked up the bottle holding it against the moonlight creeping through the window and curtains. After having read his name on it he took one painkiller.

A knock made him nearly lose his grip on the glass. Where had it come from? He headed for the door when the knocking repeated itself. Louder now, and definitely not from the door. Quickly he grabbed the bat, that had been placed on one of the chairs.

“Steve?”, Dustin rubbed his eyes, “What's going on?”

“Stay back!”, Steve said, trying to listen, lying a finger on his lips. His friend understood keeping his mouth shut. The knocking got louder now coming from the generally direction of the fridge door.

“Shit”, Steve realized what the source of the knocking was.

“I thought it was dead”, Dustin exclaimed, coming dangerously close to the monster.

“Stay back! In fact wake the others up and bring them outside! Now!”, adrenaline rushed through his veins. His exhaustion forgotten, pain barely felt. Carefully he inched towards the fridge. The door moving on its own accord. Gripping the bat tighter he looked over his shoulders.

“Why are you waking me up?”, Lucas complained.

“Leave me alone, Stalker”, Max pushed Dustin away. Mike and Eleven were staring at Steve.

“Come on, guys. Its not going to stay there forever”, panic overcoming Steve. The children were too close. What if something happened to them? Hopper had promised that everything was over. That nothing would happen tonight. Creaking of the hinges, and before Steve could warn them further the demodog leaped out of the fridge.

“GO!”, he shouted. But he was too late. With a scream Dustin went down. The monster holding him firm with its paws. Eleven stretched her hand out, blood dripping onto her t-shirt, nothing happened. Steve raised his bat ready to hit the demodog.

“No! You can't kill it. It's a scientific discovery”, Dustin shouted. Steve's hands were trembling so hard that he nearly lost the grip on his bat. With all his might he slammed the bat into the monster's head. It shrieked losing its balance.

“Steve, no you can't....”, Dustin protested. He ignored him, raising the bat again. All muscle memory, as he slammed the bat down again and again. Ignoring the warm blood spraying on his face and clothes. His head pounding viciously now, as the room took another spin he missed. Immediately the demodog took advantage. Leaping into him. He lost his balance, slipped and knocked back onto the hard floor. As he felt sharp teeth embedded in his skin anger rose, who did this demodog think it was? Rolling away, Steve managed to escape, he pulled the kitchen drawer open. Blood dripping onto the spoons, forks and knives. Clutching hold of a knife he turned not one second too early. As the monster jumped onto him and the knife. It stopped the creature, but it was heavy. Steve caught between it and the kitchen counter. Breathing getting harder and harder. When he felt the pressure ease, if just a little.

Eleven had stepped towards him. Blood leaking from her eyes now as she feebly managed to pull the creature inches away from Steve. Hopper and Joyce had entered the room. The boy plunged the knife into the monster slicing it open. It smacked onto the floor. Twitching and moaning as Steve quickly crossed the distance between him and Eleven. Catching her as she collapsed. Pulling her away from the creature. His shoes red and sticky, as he stood in the blood of the creature. Dustin rushed towards them. Staring at the demodog as it twitched one finale time.

“We should burn it. Maybe it'll stay dead then”, Steve muttered, Eleven getting heavier and heavier in his arms. His legs felt like they would give away at any moment. Hopper gently took Eleven from Steve's arms. Counterbalancing on the edge of the kitchen table Steve run his hand through his hair. His hand coming back bloody as he looked at the creature. The knife still in his hand, shaking in his grip.

“You killed it! It could have been a scientific discovery!”, Dustin angrily said. It had been a long night and something inside of Steve snapped.

“I don't care about your shitty scientific discovery!”, he shouted, Dustin took a step back, surprise written across his face.

“Dustin, I care about you! And you nearly died! I can't take another grieving mother I have to visit every week. Knowing it's my fault she died!” Silence, as he remembered Barb. Blood on her hands, sitting at the edge of the pool. The stupid pool party, why had he even invited them?

“She?”, Dustin asked, bringing Steve back into the present.

Dropping the knife and pulling Dustin into a hug which the boy reciprocated he said, “I'm not letting anyone hurt you, Dustin. Especially not some stupid scientific discovery project.”

“Sorry, man. Thank you for saving me”, Dustin hugged him tighter, not letting go.

“What on earth is going on, Harrington?” Steve and Dustin broke their hug. In unison exclaiming “Billy?!”

Somehow Billy had managed to escape the makeshift cuffs.

“What is....What on earth are you caught up in?.....I...I can't...”, he pushed the door open and ran into the night.

“Seriously”, Steve rolled his eyes. Max chuckled upon seeing her stepbrother exiting the house in a wild panic.

“I'll go after him”, Steve muttered.

“Why?”, Max asked.

“Because there could still be demodogs out there”, he grabbed his bat.

“Steve, we were over this already. There are no demodogs anymore”, Hopper said, Eleven still in his arms, looking deathly pale.

Steve kicked the head of the dead demodog on the floor, “I'll keep that in mind”, he said heading to the door. To his surprise nobody stopped him. They were crowding around the girl.

The first pale streaks were promising a new day. It surprised Steve more than it should have. Sometime tonight he had accepted that he wouldn't live to see another day. To keep the children safe he would have sacrificed himself in a heartbeat. White mist appeared in front of his eyes when he breathed out. Temperatures had dropped and he regretted that he hadn't just stayed inside. What was he even doing outside? The nails of the bat trailing in the mud. Billy's car still stood in the driveway, so he had to be close. He didn't dare shout. Every shadow a potential threat. Finally he came to a clearing and spotted a figure hunched beside a tree trunk.

“Billy?”, Steve carefully approached, he could see the teen's necklace gleam in the weak moonlight.

“H-Harrington, what's going on?”, Billy stammered, his lips had turned blue, his shirt still half open.

“Just another weird weekend, I guess. Listen, I can explain...well, not everything. Maybe a bit, or less than a bit. Just ask the kids they understand all this shit much better than me, but right now we have to go”, he turned his head scanning the area. No demodogs, yet. “There could still be more out there”, he stretched out his hand.

Billy looked at him, “Why are you helping me?”

“Because I'm an idiot. Now come on!”, the other boy took Steve's hand and he got up. They picked up a quick pace crossing the distance between the clearing and the Byers' house fairly quickly.

Eleven lay on the couch, tucked in with the blanket Steve had used prior.

“Thank God, you're okay”, Joyce gave them both a blanket. The kids brightened up when they spotted Steve. Billy paced the room, nervously rubbing his face. Exhaustion seeped into Steve's bones as he sat down on the floor. Stains of blood and matter at his feet. However, somebody had taken the demodog away, and to his utter relief, the fridge was open and empty.

“What....What was this monster?”, Billy finally managed to ask.

“Demodog”, Steve muttered.

“What?!”, Billy came closer, towering above him.

“It's a demodog”, Steve chuckled, “Keep up, Billy.”

“Excuse me, is this funny to you, Harrington?”, Billy leaned towards him grabbing him by the collar.

“Do you think I'm scared of you? After I nearly got killed by a demodog?!”

“Cut it out, boys”, Hooper said tiredly.

Billy let go taking a few steps back, “How can you kill a...a...”

“Demodog”, Dustin helped him.

“Whatever....a thing....you killed it, but you can't win a fistfight. I heard you even lost against Zombie kid's brother!”

“Hey”, Joyce said, “Stopped calling my son that.” Instantly Billy started smiling, a smile that reminded Steve of himself, which was unsettling. The charmer smile, the one you put on when you wanted to get something. It never had helped with Nancy, and it wasn't doing Billy any favours with Joyce.

“Don't ever say that again, or I'm going to let Hopper here take you to the police station.”

“I'm sorry, Ma'am.”

“I don't like violence”, Steve said. All eyes turning on him again.

“You just gutted a...demodog. There's still blood all over you, and you tell me you don't like violence”, Billy exclaimed.

“Well, it was sorta self-defence, don't you think?”

The other boy shook his head, but then started to laugh, “You are a weird one, Steve. I think I'm starting to like you.”

“Is that like a compliment?”, the first time Billy had called him by his first name. Not really sure how he should feel about that.

“Maybe”, Billy shot him a weird look Steve was too exhausted to figure out what it meant right now.

“You're not going to tell mom or your dad about this. Do you understand?”, Max said.

Not in the mood to get caught up in any kind of family drama Steve wearily stood up. Leaning against the side of the couch.

“Is she okay?”, Steve asked Hopper, who held Eleven's hand.

“Yeah, she's just been through a lot.”

“I'm sorry.”

“Why? What are you sorry for?”, Hopper asked, surprise in his voice.

“It's my fault she's in this state. If I hadn't slipped she wouldn't have had to save me.”

“No. Listen, son, this isn't your fault. You saved everyone in this house. It nearly got Dustin, but you stopped it before it could attack. El was already exhausted from closing the gate. You did good, okay?”, he put a hand on Steve's arm. He flinched, pulling away.

“Are you okay?” Steve nodded, trying to ignore the searing pain. “Did you hurt your arm?”

“It's fine”, Steve muttered, spending a night in the hospital suddenly far too close to reality again.

“There's blood on your sleeve, and your jacket is ripped”, Dustin stated the obvious.

“I'm fine. Eleven is passed out on the couch, not me.”

“Did you get bitten?”, Dustin asked, eyes wide.

“Bitten, do you think he'll get possessed like Will did”, Lucas exclaimed.

“Maybe he'll turn into a demodog. Like a werewolf bite turns you into a werewolf”, Mike said completely matter-of-factly.

“That would be awesome”, Dustin said, “You would have superpowers like El has.”

“It would be stupid. Will had superpowers and see where it got us!”, Mike shouted.

Steve stepped over the remains of the fight, trying not to look too close at the discarded knife nobody had cleaned yet. With a quick motion he put his pill bottle into his pocket. Heading for another room in this house only to be stopped by Joyce.

“We should take a look at your arm.”

“Mrs. Byers it's okay. Really....I just need...I need the bathroom”, he rushed towards the hall. Not even sure where the bathroom was located in this house.

“Leave him”, Hopper's voice in the distance, “Even if he's gotten himself bitten we can wait for a few minutes longer.” Steve pushed the first door open quickly slipping inside.

The first thing he noticed was that the lights were on.

“Steve?”, the voice making him jump, his fist clenching when he noticed he had forgotten his bat. His heart beating harder than it should he turned his back to the door. Will sitting up in bed, a book in his lap.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you”, Will said.

“No...I'm....”, he tried to stop his heart from beating so hard. Brushing his trembling hand of his pants, but they remained clammy with sweat.

“I'm sorry, I thought the room was empty...I should probably let you...”

“No, you can stay”, a ghost of a smile on the boy's pale face, “You can sit down if you want to”, Will patted the side of his bed. His legs were almost giving away and Steve nearly collapsed on the bed.

“Are you okay?”, Will asked, eyes boring into him.

A hysterical chuckle passed over his lips, “I should be asking you that.”

“Please don't. I've heard it all year now.” Steve didn't know what to say to that, so he said nothing. His hands trembling harder now. Will laid a hand on Steve's. The pale on the dirty, blood-caked one. “You fought the monster?”

“Yeah”, Steve answered.

“I tried to as well. It was scary”, Will's voice hitched. If Steve was already this scared how scared most this boy be?

“You fought, and you're alive”, Steve said.

“But I didn't help”, Will said tearfully.

“You did the code thing. You helped.”

Will smiled weakly, “Yeah, I did that.” Steve wasn't sure why Will was telling him all this personal stuff. He had never spoken to the kid before. He was, however, relieved that Dustin's friends seemed to like him. Why he wanted Dustin's friends to like him was a topic he should think long and hard about when it didn't hurt to think.

“Did the demodog bite you?”, Will changed the topic.

“Yeah, I guess it did”, Steve grimaced, by now he was too afraid to look. What does a demodog bite look like? Would it already be infected? Was he already changing into a monster? Was anybody safe in his presence?

“The Demogorgon was in me”, Will said his voice too steady, probably shock. Steve felt like he was under shock as well, he couldn't stop shaking and his lungs were starting to feel more and more constricted.

“That sucks”, he answered, not very eloquent, but that had never been his strong suit. He had tried to be the understanding boyfriend, see how that went. Maybe he just sucked at being a decent human-being.

“Thank you”, Will said.

“For what?”

“Keeping my friends save. They told me you protected them”, Will pulled him into a hug. To Steve's surprise the kid started to cry.

“Hey, everything is going to be fine. You're safe”, he tried to calm the boy down.

“Bob, Mom's boyfriend, he died....a demodog got him. He was trying to save me, and got killed.” Steve felt sick to the stomach, so somebody had died. It could have easily been one of the kids. Or the kid currently sobbing in his shoulder.

“Shh...everything is going to be okay....It's not your fault....”, he whispered whatever his fuzzy brain could muster. A soft knock on the door made him tighten the grip he had on the boy. Ready to pull him towards the window, so they could escape if some monster came crashing through the door.

“Will, can I come in?”, Joyce's soft voice. Reminding Steve yet again of his own mother. The door opened, and Joyce halted in surprise. Taking in her son clinging to the battered older teenager.

“Is he...”, Joyce started as Steve slowly let go, “Will, your Mom's here” They swapped places as Will clutched his mother. Joyce mouthed a thank you to Steve. Nobody had ever looked at Steve with so much gratitude. Joyce softly talked to her son, Steve slowly backed away feeling like an intruder. 

The hallway facing him was cold and dark, he could almost see his memories of the monster chasing him a year ago. Jonathan pulling him along to safety. 

Steve leaning against the wall trying to calm down. Everything was fine. Will needed his mother right now, the kids needed to feel safe tonight, and needed to stop worrying about Steve. Everything was alright. 

“You are fine”, he whispered to himself, sinking to the floor “You need to be." 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: At the start of the chapter there is a description of a panic attack

How could he pretend everything was fine? Before all this at least he could say that nobody died. They had been close when the demodogs were running towards him in the parking lot. The kids huddling in the bus. Then again when Billy had come barging in nearly choking Lucas, although Steve didn't think that Billy had it in him to kill people. He had been angry about something else that's why he turned on him so viciously.

The tunnels when Dustin screamed, lying on the floor. Breathing in so much of this shit. It tasted like ash he still could feel it coating his tongue and throat, and he hadn't even taken a mouthful like the younger boy had. And then the worst moment; Dustin and him standing in the tunnel. All the monsters rushing towards them. At that moment Steve knew he was done for.

“Save Dustin”, his mind screaming at him. Cold, slick, wet skin brushing past them. Nearly knocking them over, a few more seconds and he would have lost balance. Dustin growing heavier by the second, as he clutched on for dear life. Lifting the kid from the ground.

The house that had been so cold felt hot now, and stuffy. Coppery smell of blood making his stomach turn. His heart beating so hard he could see his shirt lift and fall. Sweat dripping into his eyes as he tried to put one foot in front of the other. Bracing himself against the wall he tried to get to the living room, but it felt so far away. Screams filling his mind, Steve wanted to forget. The warm blood on his hands, the sound of flesh tearing and intestines pooling onto the ground. Dustin lying on his back the creature towering over him. Its teeth ready to take a bite.

“No....stop”, he ran his hands through his hair. Anything to release the pressure that was building in his head. Memories upon memories looping in his mind. Bloody handprints on the white wall, ones he had left there. His trembling hand morphing into Barb's.

“Where's the bathroom?”, her voice clear as day. Screams, Eleven collapsing, Will lying motionless in Hopper's arms, Lucas kicking trying to escape Billy's grip, Dustin lying on the floor this time the demodog took a bite. Blood spurting onto the floor and Dustin turning paler, screaming in pain. He couldn't breathe anymore, his lungs constricted.

Steve needed to get outside, clear his head. Another step, he swayed nearly doubling over. In the process knocking into somebody. A strong hand stopped him from colliding with the floor.

“Are you alright, kid?”, Hopper's concerned eyes.

“I...I...”, he couldn't form any words, desperately gasping for air. The grip on his shoulder tightened.

“Steve, Steve! Are you asthmatic? Do I have to call an ambulance?”, Hopper's voice hurting his head. “Damn it, Steve, answer me!”, the man shook him, desperation in his voice.

“He's having a panic attack”, another voice joined.

Steve managed to look up. All the kids had crowded around him. In the centre Billy kneeling down next to him.

“You need to breathe. Slow and deep breaths. Just copy me.” Billy's medallion bobbed to and fro whilst he breathed. Steve tried to concentrate on that and not on the terrified faces of the kids and Hopper.

“Get back a bit. Give him space”, Billy pushed them away, but they only took a few steps back. Eyes still fixed on Steve. The policeman was snapping the blue hairband against his wrist, Dustin opened and closed the latch of his baseball cap. A smile on Billy's face, he laid his hand on Steve's knee.

“Everything is okay, Harrington. If anyone comes here to attack you I'll kick their asses.”

“A-A-And the k-kids?”

“You're such a softie, but yes, Mom, I'd even protect the little dipshits.”

Breathing was still difficult, but far easier than it had been before.

Dustin slowly came closer. Sitting down on his knees, “I'm sorry for wanting to keep the demodog. Friends are more important than a groundbreaking, scientific discovery.” Tears in his eyes when he took Steve's trembling hands in his.

“Y-You could have d-d-died.”

“Nobody died, son. Look, they're all here. Alive and kicking”, Hopper said, a weak smile on his face.

“We all breathed it in...W-what if we all die. I could never forgive myself if anything happened to you”, his glance directed at the children. His breathing getting quicker again. “Nothing is alright...We're still going to die”, his voice broke.

“We don't know that, Steve”, Hopper tried to calm down.

“Look what happened to Will.”

“Will spent days in the Upside Down. Nobody else did, okay. Nothing is going to happen.”

Dustin's tight grip on his hands and Billy's reassuring hand on his knee kept him grounded, kept him from slipping into all these terrible memories. He closed his eyes, trying to concentrate on his breathing. Tried to forget that the room felt too small, too crowded.

“When this all over you have to play D&D with us”, Dustin voice broke through his fear.

“Am I invited too?”, Billy asked.

“Most certainly not!”, Mike joined in, “You almost killed two of our party members!”

“You heard that, Harrington, you apparently belong to the party now.”

It warmed Steve's heart and tears started to fill his eyes. As if this wasn't humiliating enough he was going to cry for the second time this night. And this time in front of douchebag Billy. He had his breathing under control now. Blinking back tears he opened his eyes again.

“Only if I can be the Rouge.”

Dustin eyes widened, mouth agape for once at loss for words. The boys exchanged glances. Max and Billy wearing equally matched confused expressions on their faces.

“You know D&D?!”, Mike finally almost shouted.

“Did you ever play?”, Dustin said before Steve had the chance to answer. Tired of pretending, he had almost died after all, and things like his reputation were rendered non-existent Steve didn't deny it anymore.

“There were some older, nerdy kids that lived in my street. We used to play.” It grew so silent a pin drop would have been heard then all of a sudden the children broke out in conversation at the same time.

“You, Steve? You played D&D?”

“How many campaigns?”

“How many were in your party?”

“Where are they now?”

Billy shook his head laughing, “You are becoming more interesting by the minute, Harrington.” Dustin had let go of Steve's hand using his to explain Steve something whilst gesturing wildly.

Billy pulled Steve up, “Whoa, don't collapse again”, he said when Steve felt whiplash coming back full force. Leading him towards the kitchen he pulled a chair up. The kids had followed still throwing questions around.

“Hey, hey, hey! Shut up!”, Hopper shouted, “I want you all to shut up okay. What did I tell you about your behaviour towards Steve in the next few days?”

“No running, or shouting when we're around Steve”, Mike muttered.

“Good, so keep your voices down.” He turned towards Steve, “Now we really need to take a look at that bite of yours.”

Steve was looking as bad as Eleven. A pitiful sight as he slumped in the chair. Struggling to keep his eyes open. The fringes of his hair damp from sweat and dried blood. Shrugging out of his jacket Hopper noticed Steve's hands still shook when he undid the zipper. The state the boy was in reminded Hopper of young soldiers in the field. A state he never wanted to see again. A certain look, as if they were already dead inside and frozen with fear, the same look now in Steve's eyes.

He pushed his concern away, and helped Steve out of his t-shirt. Holding his breath he didn't want to look, but had to. It was a relatively small bite, compared to Bob's at least. Bitemarks and a fair amount of blood were on the wound, but after cleaning it he discovered that the teeth had merely broken the first layer of skin, it wasn't very deep.

“You're in luck, you don't even need any stitches.”

“Will it scar?”, Billy asked.

“Ahm...yeah I guess”, Hopper started to bandage the injury.

“Good, scars are quite popular with the ladies.”

“Ugh...gross”, Max said. Billy gave Steve one of his weird looks which Steve was even more exhausted now than he had been before, to decipher.

“Do have all your shots?”, Hooper asked.

“I don't think shots will keep me from transforming into a demogorgon.”

“Demogorgon....ahm I thought they were called demodogs”, Billy said confused.

“I'll talk to Dr. Owens. He'll know if the bites and spores present any danger.”

“Okay, thanks”, Steve put his t-shirt and jacket back on.

“You should get some more rest”, Hopper said, “I'll ask Joyce if she has a bed for you”, he clasped Steve's uninjured shoulder. “Billy, you are coming with me.”

“C'mon, I won't hurt anyone.”

“We can talk about that when Steve doesn't have any bruisings, or a concussion. Dustin, make sure Steve doesn't fall from the chair.”

“Yes, Chief.”

When Hopper returned Steve was lying on the floor. His head in Dustin's lap. Mike's jacket draped over him. In spit of it all Hopper smiled, kneeling down he softly nudged the sleeping boy.

“What are you doing? Stop!”, Dustin slapped his hand away.

“When he wakes up he'll hurt more when he spent the night on the floor than in a proper bed.”

“Okay, but I'm gonna wake him”, Dustin decided. “Hey Steve, Steve...Wake up.”

“What did you do this time?”, Steve sat up grimacing slightly. His hair a mess flopping into his face.

“They did nothing, but I got a bed for you”, Hopper helped him stand up. Without another word the boy let himself be led to another room. Nearly collapsing onto the soft mattress. As soon as his head hit the pillow he was out again.

Hopper threw the blanket over Steve. It had been a while since he had tucked a sick child in. But tonight he was taking care of two sick children. Fear seized him, as he tried to forgot her. How she slipped away from him. Her eyes closed, lying so still under the blankets. Slowly he leaned forward, making sure Steve was still breathing.

“Take care, kid”, he muttered, and exited the door.

The ringing of a phone, not his, pulled him out of a fuzzy dream. He had been running from something, but everything had been distorted. The coldness that had been surrounding him had been suffocating, pulling him down. Steve opened his eyes, an unfamiliar ceiling coming into view. Outside he could hear a soft conversation, too far away for him to make out any words that were spoken. A shelf standing opposite of the bed was filled with records. It seemed familiar, but he couldn't quite place it, his brain felt slower than usual.

Slowly he tried to sit up only to stop feeling a searing pain in his head and arm. All the memories came flooding back. Especially him freaking out in front of a bunch of kids and Billy. Well, fuck Billy. He couldn't care less about what Billy thought about him now. But the kids, they had been terrified already, how much more terrified were they going to feel now? He had to get up, this time he did it more careful. The pain in his head was bearable. When he pulled back the covers he noticed the room was cold. Deciding to hold on to the blanket he draped it over himself and opened the door.

The scent of bacon and eggs made him almost turn around, but after he had swallowed hard against the nausea he crossed the distance to the kitchen. Everyone was sitting at the table. Some plates filled and food untouched, some already licked clean.

Mrs. Byers on the phone, “Yes, he got into a bit of a scuffle, but it wasn't his fault...”

“Steve”, Dustin's fingers were sticky with maple syrup, and his plate was still stacked with pancakes, “Steve”, he repeated this time in a quieter voice.

“Why are you whispering?”, Steve sat down next to him. The only empty seat left.

“Hopper said we shouldn't shout because your head hurts.”

Will and Eleven were both wrapped in blankets, like Steve was, and looked like he was feeling. Both their plates contained copious amounts of breakfast. Will was running his fork through the food, but the fork never made its way to his mouth. Eleven looked like she'd fall asleep at any given minute. Both of them had dark bags under their eyes, and looked sort of pasty. Steve could still see the dark abrasions on Will's wrist where they had tied him up.

“Should I get you a plate?”, Dustin asked between mouthfuls.

The mention of breakfast made his stomach flip, “No thanks, I'm not really that hungry.”

“Really? But when was the last time you've eaten?” That was a good question.

“Yesterday morning.”

Dustin's eyes went wide, “Dude, you need to eat something.”

“How can you even eat when you nearly ended up as demodog dinner?”

Dustin shrugged taking another mouthful, “I guess danger makes me hungry.”

“Everything makes you hungry”, Lucas commented. Steve shuddered, pulling the blanket closer to his body.

“Hey Champ, you're finally awake as well”, Hopper entered the house, wearing his thick police jacket.

“Yes”, Steve answered, already wanting to go back to bed even though he'd just been up for a few minutes.

“Do you want to eat something?”, Hopper asked.

“No....I'm not hungry.”

Hopper nodded, pulling a pill bottle out of his pocket. “You have to eat something, shouldn't take these on an empty stomach.” Right now Steve just wanted to get back to bed. “I'm gonna make you some soup”

“I don't..”, Steve started to protest.

“You'll feel better after...and you too”, Hopper directed his glance at Will and El.

“Billy said that I should give this to you because you were shivering”, Max handed him Billy's heavy leather jacket. Surprised Steve took it and slipped it on.

“He really said that?”

Max frowned, “He's weird. I mean he never gives anybody his jacket. Not even his dates. Billy must like you.”

“He nearly killed me yesterday”, Steve said, the jacket felt nice and smelled like Billy's ridiculous aftershave, or hairspray.

“Sometimes you're really mean to someone because you're too scared to be nice to them”, Mike piqued up. Before Steve could start a lecture about how messed up that relationship view was, or more like try to string words together and hope they made some kind of sense Joyce called him.

“Steve, your Mom is on the phone.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I told her that you got into a fight while protecting Lucas.” Even though Steve was feeling groggy he managed to read between the lines. Not to tell his Mom anything about the demodogs, or that he almost died. That she almost ended up like Barb's mother. His hand trembled when he took the phone receiver.

“Mom?”

“Stevie, thank God. Are you okay, sweetie?”

“I....”, when Steve had been around Dustin's age his parents had sent him to a holiday camp over the summer break. All the years before that he spent his time with his cousins, but they had moved further away that year. He had hated every minute of the camp. Not knowing anyone homesickness quickly settled in and made him feel like he was feeling now. Alone, scared that when he opened his mouth he would burst into tears. He clutched the receiver tighter.

“I'm fine”, his voice cracking, he still held on to the hope maybe his mother wouldn't noticed.

“Stevie, what happened?”, nothing ever got past her.

“I can't explain”, he settled for the truth. No elaborate lie came to mind.

“You know you can tell me anything.”

“Are you mad?”

“No, why should I be mad?”

“Because...I...I...got into a fight”, his voice hitched again, tears filling his eyes.

“You stood up against a bully that picked on kids. I'm proud of you.”

“Can...Can you come and pick me up?”, he asked, trying to stay strong until she hung up.

“Of course, I'll be on my way. I'll need two hours, okay?” Steve nodded. “Stevie?”

“Yes”, Steve leaned against the wall, his head pounding now, the room tilting again. “Mom...I...”, he remembered the demodog's head lingering over him, all teeth exposed. The fear that he was drawing his last breath. “Mom....I love you”, he sobbed, tears dripping down his face onto the worn out floor.

“I love you so much, Stevie. Everything is going to be okay. In two hours I'll take you home. We'll put on a movie, put on our PJs and watch Star Wars. All three movies.”

“Again”, Steve laughed through tears.

“There's never too much, young man.” Steve wiped his tears on Billy's jacket, but to no avail as they kept coming. He felt a hand on his shoulder, Joyce gave him a warm smile, the one Steve had dubbed the Mom-smile.

"I have to go”

“Try to stay out of trouble until I'm there, Sweetie. I love you.”

“Love you.”

Joyce slowly pulled the receiver from his grip. “Mrs. Harrington....Yes, of course....It has been a very long, exhausting night, so don't worry....It's my pleasure, he's a very well-behaved boy...Yes, take care...bye”, she hung up, leading Steve back to the room he had woken up in. He let himself be guided to the bed.

“I'm sorry it's so cold in here”, she pulled anther set of blankets out of the cupboard. Placing it onto the bed, then she sat down next to Steve. “After last year, after Will went missing, I was terrified as well. Of these monsters chasing my son and we...Hopper and I, we talked a lot about it, and it helped a bit. So if you ever need to talk to somebody about what happened you can talk to me, or Hopper any time.”

“Thank you”, Steve was touched that somebody who didn't even knew him cared so much, “Thank you for looking after me even after Will...after Will had to go through so much.”

“You helped his friends, and you talked to him yesterday. It meant a lot to him. You're practically family now”, a twinkle in her eyes when she gave yet another one of her warm smiles. Steve tried not to burst into tears again and laid down. Joyce pulled the covers over him and brushed some of his hair away. Staying until sleep pulled him under.

Someone shook him, “Stevie, wake up.” Her warm hand on his shoulder. Slowly he opened his eyes. For a moment he thought he was still dreaming. Sitting on the bed was his mother. Worry in her eyes, she smiled weakly, “Stevie, we're going home.” He sat up departing from the blankets with some regret. At least the jacket kept him warm.

“Can you walk?”

A couple hours ago, when ash had fallen into his hair, and all the kids were clutching their tools scared, but too proud to even acknowledge the fact, Steve had thought he would die down there in the tunnels. But here he was his mother sitting next to him.

He hugged her tightly, she rubbed circles on his back, “I'm here now. Everything is okay.”

Slowly he let go, “Yeah, everything is okay”, he lied. He stood up, this time the room didn't spin. They made their way to the kitchen. Thankfully somebody had cleared the kitchen table, Hopper and Joyce sitting around it. No food to be found. All the kids were sitting on the couch watching TV.

Hopper handed Steve's Mom the pill bottle, “The doctor said he should take one every four hours for the first few days, but he shouldn't take them on an empty stomach.”

“Thank you so much for taking care of my boy.”

“No problem.”

Dustin turned on the couch, “Are you leaving, Steve?”

“Yeah.”

The younger boy circled the couch, under the protest of the other kids because he blocked the view to the TV screen, and hugged Steve. A warm, sappy feeling made Steve nearly cry again. Since when he had become this mushy?

“Do me a favour and don't get anymore science project pets, okay?”

Dustin laughed, “I won't.”

“Good, you have to promise.”

“I promise.”

“Friends don't lie”, Steve smiled.

“Friends don't lie”, Dustin repeated, “We should do a spit promise.”

“Nope, too old for that”, Steve quickly pulled his hand away to prevent further damage.

“Another time. You have to come to one of our campaigns.”

“Stop inviting everyone, Dustin”, Mike shouted from the couch, “We already have our group.”

”Well, you have El, Steve and me joining your stupid stalker group”, Max threw in.

“That's settled then”, Dustin shouted in glee, only to softly apologise when Hopper threw him a look, “I didn't mean to shout”, he quickly whispered.

“I'll survive”, his hands started trembling again when he said this careless phrase, now filled with meaning. To his relief Dustin didn't seem to notice.

“Goodbye, Steve.”

“Take care, Dustin.”

“You will...you will still hang out of with us, right?”, Dustin quickly asked, blushing slightly. Steve felt terrible that Dustin could even think that after all they'd been through Steve would never talk to them again.

“Of course I will, I can't leave you without supervision for long, can I?”

“Worrying suits you”, Dustin smiled and waved when Steve's Mom lead him towards the direction of the car.

“Take care, son. If you need to talk to anybody you know where you can find me”, Hopper clasped his shoulder. Joyce hugged him.

After his mother pulled out of the driveway she threw him an inquisitive look, “How do you know the boy?”

“Dustin.”

“How do you know Dustin?”

“It's a long story”, Steve muttered, feeling dizzy as he watched the world pass by.

“He seems like a nice kid.”

“Yeah, he is.”

His mother turned the heating higher in the car, “When we're home you're going straight to bed”, she decided.

“Can...can you stay with me when I'm sleeping?”, Steve asked, feeling like a 5 year old again.

“Of course. I can't leave you without supervision, can I?”, she repeated what he'd just told Dustin.

“Very Funny.”

His mother starting laughing, “You're going to make a good mother someday, Stevie.”

In spite of himself he smiled, feeling safer than he had all night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everybody reading/liking/commenting on the story. 
> 
> Initially this story was actually a prologue to a longer story I'm working on, but first I wanted to see how many people would actually be interested in a post season 2 fic, turns out a lot more than I thought.
> 
> So I am going to post the follow-up to this story dealing with the next few months, and how Steve is going to deal with his Ptsd, the kids and Billy. Hope to see you there :)
> 
> *Update*: I posted the follow-up story it's called [I Don't Care](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20310478/chapters/48149848)

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone wants to talk about Steve,Stranger Things, any other show you can find me at pursuecrazylife on Tumblr :)


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